Dicks Sporting Goods and Modells were among the retailers that quickly pulled Ray Rice jerseys last week from store shelves following the airing of a second video from TMZ that showed the football player’s violent fight with his wife in an Atlantic City casino elevator.
His No. 27 jersey also vanished from Nikes website and NFLs online shop. The Baltimore Ravens also announced an exchange program for Rice jerseys.
Rice was cut by the Baltimore Ravens, suspended indefinitely from the NFL, and saw his endorsement with Nike get cancelled. Electronic Arts announced it was taking his image out of the Madden 15 video game on its “Madden NFL” official Twitter account. Two other companies, BodyArmor sports drink and VertiMax sports training equipment, disassociated themselves from Rice earlier this year.
The NFL also remains under a cloud with calls for the resignation of Commissioner Roger Goodell. The NFL denied seeing the in-elevator fight of the Feb. 15 attack before deciding to initially suspend the running back for two games but other reports indicate at least some NFL executives saw the surveillance tape. Former FBI director Robert Mueller has been tapped by the NFL to lead an independent investigation of the entire matter, an investigation that is set to begin immediately.
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